I’m Getting Ready for the Trip

Good preparation is at least a half of a successful trip.

Equipment is such an important thing that every mountaineer shall pay special attention to it, or else he might fail in one or another of his attempts or, worse, put his or the life of his colleagues in danger. (Planinski vestnik, 1895)

The way you prepare for a trip to the mountains will depend on the grade of the walk, your itinerary, weather conditions, duration of the trip and on whether you intend to take the trip alone or in a group. Ankle-high hiking boots with a sturdy sole and a rucksack of sufficient size are a must. Besides the rather obvious snack, beverages and some form of personal ID, it is also essential to carry in one’s rucksack a pair of gloves, hat, rainproof anorak or windjacket, sun-cream, spare clothing, compass, map of sufficient accuracy, first aid kit in aluminium foil, whistle, bivouac bag, matches, candle, and a torch. Very demanding routes that include actual climbing require a helmet, harness and self-belaying kit. For better visibility, your top clothes should be in bright colours, as well as your backpack. The standard advice is to dress in layers.

Mountaineering equipment has undergone a rapid technical and technological advancement. Over the last decades in particular, the market has been flooded with new, more advanced materials and gear. The first mountaineers, however, used no special gear on their walks, trips or guided tours. Mountain guides often used tools originally intended for farming purposes, e.g. crampons, which they either made themselves or had made by local craftsmen (ropes, boots, snowshoes, metal-capped walking sticks). Before the invention of a rucksack, people would carry things in various sacks and bags. The clothes they wore in the mountains were similar to their daily wear; women would hike in long skirts, most men preferred hiking breeches. Until the ice axe was introduced, mountaineers used axes, hammers and mountain sticks. The first issue of Planinski vestnik, published in 1895, featured an article describing the “wear and gear of a mountaineer”.